Pulsed Power Engineer

Fisica, Inc•San Leandro, CA

1d•$132,000 - $245,000•Remote

About The Position

Fisica ATI, based in San Leandro, CA, develops cutting-edge pulsed power systems, x-ray and EMP radiation sources, high-voltage switches, & power-conditioning components. These core technologies are applied to build systems for simulating radiation environments, such as space or a nuclear blast, to study how electronics, optics, and materials are affected by radiation. Our products also include systems for flash x-ray imaging, electron beam generation, fusion, high power microwave (HPM) drone defeat, and non-destructive evaluation. The largest pulsed power systems built here produce millions of amps at millions of volts, delivered within hundreds of nanoseconds. The smallest systems are based on semiconductor solid state switching components that are combined in a modular architecture to achieve compact pulsed power systems. Succeeding in these technically demanding applications requires a talented team of curious, self-motivated, passionate scientists, designers, technicians, and engineers. Fisica conducts both R&D and manufacturing to serve a mix of government and commercial customers. We are seeking a lead pulsed power engineer to join our team to own the design, development, and testing of pulsed power systems. The ideal candidate enjoys participating in a project from start to finish, from design to hands-on work in a lab, data analysis, and pushing the prototype to manufacturing and productization. This role is focused on launching new pulsed power products in HPM and non-destructive testing. Come help our team develop, build, test, and run the next generation of pulsed power systems!

Requirements

BS, MS, or PhD in electrical engineering, physics, or related field, and 10 years of experience. Note: the position can be adapted to suit more junior or more senior candidates.
Highly skilled at experimental lab work, especially with pulsed power circuits and diagnostics (voltage > 50 kV, high current, < 500 ns pulse widths).
Experienced in setting up a lab or manufacturing environment from scratch including data acquisition.
Highly experienced in circuit simulations and using measured data to validate/improve the simulations.
Experienced in troubleshooting equipment such as vacuum systems, pressurized gas systems, data acquisition systems (sensors/monitors, oscilloscopes, delay generators etc), & electrical systems.
Familiar with solid state switching devices and systems, how they can be used to achieve a desired waveform, and when it makes sense to use spark gap switching or other non-solid state options.
Experience with High Power Microwave HPM systems.
Comfortable with data analysis of physical time series data.
Driven by technical curiosity and an eagerness to learn, self-driven to iterate quickly.
Productive both while working alone in a lab on some days or collaborating with colleagues other days.
Excellent communication in oral and written technical English.
Enjoy figuring out how things work, taking things apart and putting back together.
Detail oriented and able to stay focused on an end objective even while exploring development paths.
Willing to take short trips on a regular basis to Bay Area, CA and Albuquerque, NM, if not based in CA.
The ability to obtain and maintain a future Security Clearance is required for the role. Eligibility requires U.S. citizenship.

Responsibilities

Own the design, simulation, prototyping, & testing of pulsed power systems driving different loads.
Work with product management, business development, & engineers to define technical requirements.
Propose & develop novel architectures for pulsed power systems based on solid state building blocks.
Lead a team in system prototyping, benchtop testing, and major field tests.
Perform circuit analysis & electrostatic simulation to predict performance & validate test results.
Apply scientific scrutiny to test results to interpret data, draw conclusions, and determine next steps.
Collaborate with partners to integrate the pulsed power driver with x-ray or high power microwave loads.
Communicate results of experiments or simulations to the team or customers.
Ensure lab safety protocols are followed.